ISLAMABAD, March 12: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar observed on Monday that the Supreme Court is putting an end to a specific category of government advertisements. The court observed that advertisements with political pictures will be banned. Hearing the suo moto notice of political advertisements on taxpayers’ expense, the Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar inquired how many advertisements did the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government print and broadcast with pictures of the KP chief minister and party chief Imran Khan.
The KPK information secretary informed the court that there is no government policy regarding the printing of the chief minister or party chief’s pictures.
Responding to the court’s query, the information secretary revealed that the provincial government spent a little over Rs204 million on advertisements in the last three months. He added that the provincial government, since coming into power, has spend Rs1.63 billion on advertisements.
The court then summoned the provincial government’s one year record of advertisements to ascertain if pictures of political leaders were published on government ads.
Chief Justice Nisar remarked that the funds spent on these advertisements are the public’s money. Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar observed that the Supreme Court will ensure fair and free elections.
He said the judiciary will shift all bureaucracy from one province to another before the elections. The bench has sought suggestions from federal and provincial governments All Pakistan Newspapers Society and Pakistan Broadcasters Association regarding the publishing of media ads. – Sabah
